The Peculiar Alchemist

23 || Making Friends

Toby didn't think he'd bump into Aubrey outside of Agnes' cottage, but he was sitting there with a pretty redheaded woman whispering in his ear before they both laughed at whatever she said.

Usually, Toby would pretend not to have seen them and leave the two alone, but for some reason he hesitated this time and found himself wanting to go there and join them. There was something intimidating about people like Aubrey, people who came from a powerful family, but the Whitlock had always been nice to him and that day when they searched for that strange plant changed a few things about how he viewed the budding alchemist.

Any nervousness he felt melted away when he saw that Aubrey noticed him, and Toby was given a friendly smile that made him approach the two where they sat.

Aubrey's friend was the first one to speak as she looked up at him with her mouth slightly agape.

"Whoa, you're tall." She turned to Aubrey with her cheeks puffed up trying to stifle a laugh. "Is he the annoying guy?"

Before Toby could be offended, Aubrey shook his head answering her flatly. "No, this is the normal one."

"So, you're Toby." The pretty redhead smiled up at him extending her hand for him to take. "I'm Val, it's nice to see I'm not this loser's only friend."

"You're not."

Aubrey was ignored by the two of them as Val took the chance of them shaking hands to pull Toby down so he could take a seat. The place they were in was owned by an old couple, and it was quieter than the bars Toby usually kills his time in. Quiet is probably what the two wanted judging by the notebook and pendants scattered on the table, and he looked at Val curiously.

She looked around their age, too old to be a regular student, but old enough to pursue further studies and specialize in something. However, there was nothing he could think of that would involve the pendants she had placed in front of her.

"What are you specializing in?" He couldn't help but ask, and Val laughed in response awkwardly.

"I am not studying anything specific. This is just research." She told him holding up one of the pendants before sighing deeply. "And right now, it isn't going anywhere."

Toby couldn't imagine ever doing research for fun, so he just nodded his head sympathetically, but Aubrey had been looking at him interestedly for a while. His eyes darted to the blond who tilted his head with an arched eyebrow looking like he had many questions swirling in his mind.

And Aubrey was not the type to keep silent and wonder.

"Hey, why did you go to Agnes in the first place?"

This was something that had been bugging him for a while ever since he realized Toby had a reason to be there before he became stuck with his 'debt'. It was Agnes' way to punish him for drinking a potion with her precious white powder as a component, but Aubrey suspected that there was also something else she's keeping him around for – not that he cared much to know.

All he wanted to figure out was why Toby came to Agnes. Maybe he shouldn't pry, he did plan to drop the whole thing once Toby showed discomfort and unwillingness to answer, but he did genuinely want to know.

Val, however, gaped at him after hearing the familiar name. Agnes had a reputation after all. "You actually went to her?"

With a sigh, Toby nodded his head knowing he might not seem like the smartest person around for going to Agnes, but he still thought his reasons were valid. She was the only person who could help him.

"It isn't anything serious, but I have a curse of some kind."

That made Aubrey wince back a bit, not expecting this answer. "Oh, I'm sorry. You don't have to elaborate."